Emily Parker reviews the film based on the true story of Richard and Mildred Loving.

It's the middle of the night and you're fast asleep in your bedroom. Imagine what it must be like when there's a crash and you're woken violently by the police storming your room, after breaking into your home. They are shouting at you and telling you to get up. Why would this be happening? Because you are accused of being unlawfully married to your wife or husband who is asleep next to you. Before you know it, you're being taken to jail, with your spouse locked up in the cell next to yours, where you spend the rest of the night.

This is the true story of Richard and Mildred Loving who travelled to Washington DC to get married. Interracial marriage was illegal in their home State of Virginia and so Richard and Mildred were arrested on their return home. The film follows their legal battle, which ends up in the US Supreme Court, overturning the Virginia Racial Integrity Act of 1924. This event not only changed their lives, but the lives and marriages of millions of others.

Writer and director Jeff Nichols is a beautiful storyteller, creating a very intimate and sensitive depiction of Richard and Mildred's lives. Due to their sincere and genuine performances, Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga, who play Richard and Mildred Loving, have been nominated for a number of awards including an Oscar, Critics Choice Award and Golden Globe Award.

There was a lot of attention paid to the detail in the film, from fashion, to cars, to the set and the location. All assist in transporting you to that time in history. There are also some beautifully shot moments of the Virginian countryside, placed in key moments, to help build the atmosphere and share their story sensitively.

The sad reality is that this is just one of many stories of its kind at this time in America's history. Considering the country is often depicted as the land of the free and where you can live the 'American Dream', this film is a reminder that sometimes we get sold a concept that doesn't reflect the reality of what life is actually like.

Yet you will find yourself reminded that there is always hope despite adversity. The Lovings fought courageously for years for the right to be able to love each other and raise a family and as Mildred sums up in the film, "You lose the small battles to win the big war."